What is the Difference Between OTR and Regional Freight Shipping

What is the Difference Between OTR and Regional Freight Shipping

Difference Between OTR and Regional Transportation

Regional and OTR trucking are two different branches in the trucking industry, yet they can be the same thing. It all depends on the company you work with. But before digging into the differences, we need to look at the definitions of each transportation method.

• Over the Road (OTR) trucking is long-distance trucking with long (more than 250 miles) routes. Sometimes drivers may spend days and even weeks driving across the country.
• Regional trucking refers to driving inside a certain region. It can be up to 1000 miles radius, and it becomes similar to the OTR.

If you want to know what the differences are between OTR and regional, there aren’t many.

• Distance. Even when both these methods can cover long distances, there is still a fixed area where regional truckers operate. The region itself depends on the company you work with.
• Time on the road. Regional truckers spend mostly work several days and have their weekends. OTR truckers spend up to 3-4 weeks on the road.
• Salary and benefits. OTR truckers have higher income and fringe benefits like extended and paid days off, extra freedom (you decide when to work, day or night, as long as you follow DOT rules).

If you are only starting your journey in trucking, you should choose wisely between OTR and regional trucking. Not everyone can handle intense trucking life from the beginning, so it is better to start with something small.